Division 1 basketball tournament’s Elite Eight Play Tonight

Bill Walton must be having a ball bragging about the Pac12.

An All-America at UCLA and in the basketball Hall of Fame, big Bill does a lively television commentary on West Coast college games and often speaks of the Pac12 as “the conference of champions.”  Now, as three schools of that conference have made it to the NCAA Division I Elite Eight that plays the next two night in Indianapolis, he’s not exactly eating his words, and has plenty of say about his Bruins.

“One of the most remarkable things about this UCLA team,” said Walton, “is that it went from nothing in eight months to right on the crust of yet another championship.”

He can also say the same about 6th-seeded Southern California and 12th-seeded Oregon State, the two other Pac12 members still in the field.

Tonight, the Beavers (20-12) are the biggest surprise as they meet up with 2nd-seeded Houston (28-3) in the opening game scheduled for 5:15. In the closer slated for a 8 p.m. tip-off, it’s No. 1 seed Baylor (27-2) facing 3rd-seeded Arkansas (27-6).

The Bears are the lone representative from the Big 12 and the Hogs the same out of the SEC. Then there’s the only Big 10 team in No. 1 seeded Michigan (23-4), and overall top-seeded Gonzaga (27-0) and 2nd-seeded Houston (28-3) complete the field in this unique, shortened season brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Zags, still in quest of their first national title, are rolling along, attempting to finally hoist the championship trophy and become the first undefeated winner since Bob Knight’s Indiana team in 1976. They have had no problem blowing out Norfolk State, Oklahoma and Creighton, outscoring the three 225-182. Now they get USC playing its best ball, at 25-7 after disposing handily over Drake, Kansas and Pac12 opponent Oregon. The 85-51 romp over Kansas was the most impressive.

This is the Tuesday opener scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m.

And in Tuesday’s game two to decide the Final Four, it will be those Bruins taking their 21-9 record against Michigan. While Walton’s lovable alma mater has gotten past Brigham Young, Abilene Christian and 2nd-seeded Alabama, the Wolverines opened by ousting Texas Southern, and then defeating Louisiana State and 4th-seeded Florida State.

Baylor has been most impressive, for after winning its opener easily over Hartford, has also turned back 6th-seeded Wisconsin and 5th-seeded Villanova. Its opponent Arkansas hasn’t played anything like the Badgers or Nova, but did eliminate 15th-seeded bracket-breaker Oral Roberts in the Sweet 16 following wins over Colgate and a good Texas Tech team.

Now Oregon State, mediocre through the regular season, awakened for the conference tournament and was good enough to get invited to the Big Dance of March Madness, and following up with big wins over 3rd-seeded Tennessee, 4th-seeded Oklahoma State, and then 8th-seeded Loyola of Chicago. Now the Beavers get the talented Cougars, who ousted surprising 11th-seed Syracuse after knocking out Cleveland State and winning a close clash over Rutgers by three points via a late comeback.

Take your picks or have you already penciled in your bracket? Can Southern Cal break down Gonzaga, can UCLA continue on the same path and get past Michigan, can Baylor and Arkansas play to the final buzzer in the 1 and 3 seed match-up, and can Oregon State keep Houston from running the floor and science the doubters?